Uphill task for Wanjiru and co as Tokyo marathon field is named

In the absence of defending champions Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei, the Kenyan contingent to this year’s Tokyo Marathon have their work cut out as the Tokyo marathon gets this year’s World Marathon Majors calendar underway.

While there is no doubt the course records set by Kipchoge of 2:02:40 and Kosgei’s of 2:16:02 are not likely to be threatened in this year’s race, there are decent runners in the field and fast times are expected.

The women’s Kenyan contingent is headed by last year’s Berlin Marathon runner-up Rosemary Wanjiru whose personal best (PB) is 2:18.00 achieved in Berlin last year.

The elite women’s field is likely to challenge the top-10 all-time list. Six of the competitors have run faster than 2:19, but only one of them has cracked 2:18, Ashete Bekere of Ethiopia.

Bekere is expected to battle for the title against Wanjiru and the 2022 Berlin Marathon third-place Tigist Abayechew of Ethiopia as they all look to nab a title.

Meanwhile, the men’s field is led by Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia. He leads the field in accolades with his 2021 London Marathon victory. He also has the fastest personal best in the field at 2:03:36.

Behind him are a handful of men who have recently won big marathons, just not majors.

Kenya’s CyBrian Kotut of Kenya won the 2022 Hamburg Marathon in 2:04:47. Deso Gelmisa of Ethiopia finished first at the 2022 Paris Marathon in 2:05:07. Titus Kipruto of Kenya won the 2022 Milano Marathon in 2:05:05.

Each of them will be gunning for a major marathon win, as will 2022 New York City Marathon runner-up Mohamed El Aaraby.